Coin control device



Feb. 2, 1960 w. A. PATZER com CONTROL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-.2

Filed Nov. 8, 1957 Fig, 1

s i vnu ri Feb. 2, 1960 w. A; PATZER 2,923,165

com CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 8. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 firs. ,4 fig 5INV BN1 OR.

aifor'nez/s 'COIN CONTROLDEVICE "William A. Patzer, Chicago, 111.,assignor, by mesne as- "signmentsyto The Patten Company, Rockford, 111.,a corporation of Illinois Application November 8,1957, Serial No.695,445

11 Claims. (Cl.'74'126) This invention relates to a ratchet drivenaccumulator, and more particularly to a device for positively restoringan accumulator to itszeroposition whenever the accumulator resetmechanism is actuated.

Accumulators asused in vending machines are essen .tiallyrotarysswitcheswherein the angular position of the rotatablytmounted switch bladedepends uponthe amount of.money inserted in the machine. Apluralityofhot contactpointsare angularly spaced around the .axis .of .the switchblade .andeach of these hot contactpointsmay be connected to one or morevending machines soihat .whenthe required sum of money is inserted,ttherotatably .mountedswitch blade inthe accumulator will rotate intoYengagement.withtheproper hot contactpoint, and this en- :gagementwillclose -a. circuit which will .permit the vending machine todispenseorsell its products.

:Typically, the .accumulator.comprises a ratchet wheel .whichisrigidlymounted on the same shaftas the ,ro- .tatably.mountedswitch.blade or .else' is otherwise con- .nected when -.used asa tcoinchanger and/or dispenser .onforother purposes. Thisratchet wheel isadapted to tbetrotated by a,,plurality of coin-actuated .andsolenoidtd'riven push rods. fEach solenoid is associated with a coin ora particular'jdenomination and is energized only whenthatcoiii'islinserte'd in the vending machine. When this f happens,thepushrods'in theenergized solenoid move into; pushing engagement with theratchet wheel. Lever means are .provided so that this engagementdisplaces the ratchet wheel in proportion to the'monetary values of thecoins .inse'rtedin. the vending machine.

' 'A reset mechanism is provided. to enable return of the ratchet wheelto its zero or rest .position, .after theivending operation orchangeoperation'has been completed. This reset mechanism includes both aspiralspring which is connected to the ratchet-wheel to exert'the requiredrestoring force, and an escapement pawl which is spring biased intoengagement with the teeth of'ithejratchet wheelandprevents it fromrotating back to its zero position after each coin is inserted in themachine. The biasing-force exerted on the escapement pawl may beovercome by a reset solenoid, which, when actuated, drives 'a'pu'sh rodinto engagement with a part of the escapementpawl and forces it out ofengagement with the ratchet whe'elsothat the ratchet wheel and itsassociated co- :axi'allymounted switch blade can rotate'back to its zeropositionunder the restoring force exerted by the spiral p ne- "Thismechanism is satisfactory if the escapement pawl is held out ofengagement with the ratchet wheel long enough for it to return to zero.'The difliculty arises when the reset mechanism, either by accident ordesign, is given a very shortimpulse so that the escapement pawl ispermitted to move back into-engagement with and stop the ratchet wheelbefore it rotates back to its zero posi "ice isinserted inthe machine.What is needed, therefore,

*and comprises the principal object of this invention, is a device .forpositively restoring the ratchet wheel-in an accumulator tOzltS zeroposition each time the reset mechainismvis :actuated.

A further object of this inventionistto provide a simple mechanicaldevice for positively restoring the ratchet wheel of an accumulator toits zero position each time thereset mechanism is actuated, which issimple to make andeasy to install.

These and other objects of this invention will become .more apparentwhen read in the light of the accompanying drawings and specificationswherein- Figure .1 is a frontelevational-view of the accumulator inzero. or-trest position;

Figure 2 isa. sectional v-iewtaken on the line 2-2 of Figure landlooking in the direction indicated;

Figure 3 is a portion of a front elevational view of the accumulator-with;parts broken away to show the arrangement of; the internal parts;

Figure 4 shows. a portionof the frontview of the ac- ..cumulator with.apush rod actuated by the insertion of a quarter in the vendingmachine, rotating the ratchet wheel;

figure .5 shows .the position. of the .various arts of-theaccumulatorwith the movement of the .pushrod of the; resetrsolenoidindicated in dotted. lines; and

fFiguretdshows asectional viewtaken on the line 6-6 oiFigureS.andlooking in. the. direction indicated.

Referring,nowtoFigure .l of; the drawing, the accumu- .1atormechanism,,for a coin-operated vending machine, indicated ,generally by.the .referencevnumeral 10, com- .prises,an L shapedssupport 12, seeFigure '2. A shaft '14,is. rotatably mounted on the support .by anyconven- 12 below arm 18. A conventional. circuit (not shown) isconnected to these solenoids; to energize them by the insertion ofanickel, dime, or .quarter in the coin vending machine. Push rods '30,32, .and .34 are mounted inside these solenoids, see Figure 1, and eachof them is adapted 'to "move. into engagement with arm'18 when itssolenoid J1s energized. This movement is illustrated in Figure 4,

which shows 'push rod 34 in raised position engaging arm matter thesolenoid 28 is energized by the insertionof a quarter in the vendingmachine. ,This engagement causes arm 18 .to rotate and this in turnrotates "'theratchet wheel 16 by means of the engagement of pawl'22 withthe ratchet wheel.

7 The push rods engage the' armltl at different distances from therotational axis of the arm so the degree of rotation of the ratchetwheel depends upon the solenoidtwhich'is energized. ,These points ofContact between the push rods and arm .18are adjusted-so that energizingsolenoid 24 by the insertion of'ianickel in the vending machine rotatesthe ratchet -'-whe'el a distance equivalent to one tooth, energizingsolenoid 26 by the insertion of a dime rotates the ratchet wheelthrough' two teeth, and energizing solenoid 28 by the insertion of aquarter rotates the ratchet wheel through 'five -te'eth. With thisarrangement it is seen that the explained in greater detail in thepatent to Tratsch, No.

3, 2,459,008, to which reference is now made. With this mechanism, theaccumulator would be complete by mount ing a conductive switch blade onshaft 14 to be rotatable therewith, and providing a plurality of hotcontact points leading to vending machines around the axis of shaft 14for engagement by the switch blade when the required sum of money isinserted in the vending machine.

As seen in Figure 3, a flat spiral restoring spring 36 is connected byany conventional means (not shown) between the support 12 and theratchet wheel 16 constantly to urge the ratchet wheel to rotate backtoward zero position. In order for the accumulator to sum or totalizethe money inserted in the vending machine, the ratchet wheel 16 mustoperate in a step-by-step manner as each coin is inserted in themachine. This requires that an escapement pawl 38 be provided which willengage the ratchet wheel 16 to prevent it from rotating back to zeroafter each coin is inserted in the machine. This escapement pawl, asseen in Figures 4 and 5, includes a lever 40 which is pivotally securedto the support 12 at pivot 42. The escapement pawl is integral with arm44 of the lever, and a coil spring 48 is connected to the other arm 46.This coil spring biases the lever 40 in a clockwise direction to urgethe escapement pawl 38 into engagement with the teeth on the ratchetwheel.

After enough coins have been inserted in the vending operated. Afterthis, the ratchet wheel 16 must be rei turned to its zero or restposition for the next sale by the vending machine. This requires that areset mechanism be provided. In the form shown in the drawings,

the reset mechanism indicated generally by the reference .4 a loweractuating arm 72, see Figure 5. The inner edge 74 of the recess 68 doesnot extend to the periphery of the ratchet wheel, so when the escapementpawl 38 enters the recess 68, it can engage the teeth on the ratchetwheel and prevent it from rotating back to its zero or rest position.When this happens the effect of spring 62 is to bias lever 61 intoengagement with the escapement pawl 38 so that the lower edge 71 of theabutment 70 rests on the top edge 39 of the escapement pawl 38, seeFigure 5. In this position, the blocking mechanism does not afiect theoperation of the accumulator in any way, but when the reset mechanism isactuated forcing the escapement pawl 38 out of engagement with the teethof the ratchet wheel, and out of recess 68, the lever 61 is freed torotate. When this happens, the biasing force exerted by the spring 62forces lever 61 to pivot further in the clockwise direction until theactuating arm 72 engages and is stopped by the latch bar 33, see Figure3. This bar, as described in the abovementioned patent to Tratsch, hasthe added function of preventing backlashing of the ratchet wheel. Inthis positionflhe blocking abutment 70 has moved into the path of theescapement pawl 38 to prevent it from moving back into engagement withthe ratchet wheel 16 after the reset solenoid is de-energized, seeFigure 3. This permits the ratchet wheel 16 to rotate back to its zeroposition renumeral 50, includes a solenoid 52 having a reciprocablymovable solenoid actuated push rod 54 mounted inside.

The top of this push rod 54 is positioned beneath the end portion of arm46 on lever 40, see Figure 6, so that when the solenoid 52 is energized,the push rod 54 is forced upwards against the lever 40. This engagementpivots lever in a counterclockwise direction against the action of thebiasing spring 48 and forces the escapement pawl 38 out of engagementwith the ratchet wheel 16, see Figures 3 and 5. This movement frees theratchet wheel and lets it rotate back to its zero or rest position underthe biasing force exerted by the spiral spring 36. When the solenoid 52is de-energized, the push rod 54 falls back to its rest position and thebiasing force exerted by spring 48 on lever 40 again forces theescapement pawl hack in the direction of the ratchet wheel. Since theeffect of the solenoid 52 and push rod 54 is only to move the escapementpawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, it is apparent that otherreset mechanisms could be provided.

It is noted that if the duration of the actuation or energization of thesolenoid 52 is too short, the escapement pawl 38 may be permitted tomove back into engagement with the ratchet wheel 16 and stop it beforeit has completely returned to zero. If that happens, less money wouldhave to be inserted in the machine to .rotate the ratchet wheel 16'andits switch blade to-the required angular position, or in effect themachine would sell its product at a loss. To prevent this fromhappening, an escapement pawl blocking mechanism, indicated generally bythe reference numeral 60, is provided, see Figure 1. This blockingmechanism, in the particular embodiment shown, comprises a lever 61which is rotatably mounted on shaft 14. A coil spring 62 is connected atone end to a lug 63 secured to support'12, and at the other end to anarm 64 on the lever 61, thereby exerting a clockwise rotational force onthe lever.

Another arm 66 of lever 61 is provided with a recess 68 defining anupper blocking abutment member 70 and gardless of the period of theactuation of the reset solenoid 50.

After the accumulator ratchet wheel 16 has returned to its zeroposition, it is necessary to move the blocking lever 61 back to theposition shown in Figure 5, so that the escapement pawl 38 can move backinto engagement with the ratchet wheel for the next sale. This can bedone by giving the latch bar 33 an added function. As described in theabovementioned patent to Tratsch, the latch bar 133 is raised intoengagement with the ratchet wheel 16 each time one of the coin-operatedsolenoids is energized, see Figure 4. Since the actuating arm 72 abutsagainst the top portion of the latch bar, when the first coin isinserted in the vending machine, the latch bar will rise and force lever61 in the counterclockwise direction so the abutment member 70 movesfrom the blocking position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown inFigure 5 in which the escapement pawl 38 again enters recess 68 andmoves into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

The invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from thespirit or essential characteristics thereof as set forth in the claims,and the present embodiment is therefore to be considered as illustrativeand not restrictive, and it is intended to include all changes whichcome within the scope and range of the claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination asupport, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said support, rotatingmeans connected to said ratchet wheel, restoring means connected to saidratchet wheel to restore it to a rest position after it has been rotatedaway therefrom, a pawl movably mounted on said support, means connectedto said pawl to move it into en gagement with said ratchet wheel toprevent the restoring means from rotating the ratchet wheel back to itsrest position reset means associated with'said support, said reset meansoperating to move and hold said pawl out of engagement with said ratchetwheel for the period of its operation whereby the ratchet wheel canstart rotating back to its rest position, and blocking means, saidblocking means in operative association with said reset means and saidpawl so that when said reset means is operated said blocking means holdsthe pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheelpermittingthe ratchetwheel to rotate completely back to its rest position regardless of theperiod of operation of the reset means.

'i ea binatiqn supp t. a ratche he l g at blr mounted q t aid ap g t otin mentpammed: osai t at het wheat rest in m n d-z to a atchet-Wheel torotate. it back to a rest positionafterit has.been rotated away.therefrom, a pawl movably-mounted onlsaidsupport, means connectedtosaid. pawl. tomoveit into eligagernent with said ratchet wheel toprevent the, restoring means from rotating the ratchet wheel back to itsrest positiomreset means associated with said: support .sa id resetmeans operating to move and hol'dsaid .pawl out of epgagementwithsaidratchetwheelfor the period of its operation whereby the ratchetwheel can star rotating back to its rest position, and blocking meansmounted on said support, said-blocking meanstmovable: between a blockingand a non-blocking position and normally in a non blockingposition,means. connectedvto said blocking means andtriggered by the operation ofthe reset means tomovetheblocking means to said blockingposition-between said pawl and' said ratchet wheel and thereby preventsaid pawl from moving back into engagement with said ratchet wheel sothat the ratchet wheel will always rotate completely back to its restposition regardless of the period of operation of the reset means.

4. An accumulator for a coin-operated vending machine, comprising incombination a support, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, aratchet wheel mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, rotatingmeans connected to said ratchet wheel, restoring means connected to saidratchet wheel to rotate it back to a rest position after it has beenrotated away therefrom, a pawl movably mounted on said support, meansconnected to said pawl to move it into engagement with said ratchetwheel to prevent the restoring means from rotating the ratchet wheelback to its rest position, reset means associated with said support,said reset means operating to move and hold said pawl out of engagementwith said ratchet wheel for the period of its operation whereby theratchetwheel can start rotating back to its rest position, and blockingmeans mounted on said support, said blocking means movable between ablocking and a non-blocking position and normally in a non-blockingposition biasing means connected to said blocking means and triggered bythe operation of the reset means to move the blocking means to saidblocking position between said pawl and said ratchet wheel and therebyprevent said pawl from moving back into engagement with said ratchetwheel so that the ratchet wheel will always rotate completely back toits rest position regardless of the period of operation of the resetmeans.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 including means connected to saidblocking means for moving it out of said blocking position when saidrotating means is actuated.

6. An accumulator for a coin-operated vending ma chine, comprising incombination a support, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, aratchet wheel mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, rotatingmeans connected to said ratchet wheel, restoring means connected to saidratchet wheel to rotate it back to a rest position after it has beenrotated away therefrom, a pawl movably mounted on said support, meansconnected to said pawl to move it into engagement with said ratchetwheel to prevent the restoring means from rotating the ratchet wheelback to its rest position after it has been rotated away therefrom,reset means associated with said support, said reset means operating tomove and hold said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet wheel forthe period of its operation whereby the ratchet wheel can start rotatingback to its rest position, andblocking means pivotally mounted on saidsupport, the pivotal axis of said blocking means coinciding with therotational axis of said shaft, said blocking means pivotal between ablock ing position and a non-blocking position and normally in anon-blocking position, biasing means connected to said blocking meansand triggered by the operation of means connected,to .said. .blockingmeans, includes an acma n a rm a d aqtuat ne tm. a e b ed by, aportionofl said-rotating meanswhen it is actuated whereby said ;blockingmeansis rotated, out of said blockin g, position. thereby. pennittingsaidpawl to move back into n asemcn t a d i t' h tr h t 9 a'ccurnulator.for, a, coimoperated vending machine,comprising;incornbinationasupport,a shaftrotatably mounted on said support, a ratchet wheel mounted onsaid shaft and rotatable therewith, rotating means connected to saidratchet wheel, restoring means connected to said ratchet wheel to rotateit back to a rest position after it has been rotated away therefrom, alever pivotally mounted on said support, said lever having first andsecond arms, a pawl connected to one arm, spring means connected to saidother arm to pivot said lever and bias said pawl into engagement withsaid ratchet wheel to prevent it from rotating back to its rest positionafter it has been rotated away therefrom, reset means associated withsaid support, said reset means operating to exert a rotational force onsaid lever for the period of its actuation which overcomes the biasingforce exerted by the spring means and causes said pawl to move out ofengagement with said ratchet wheel to permit the restoring means tostart rotating the ratchet wheel back to its rest position, and blockingmeans pivotally mounted on said support, the pivotal axis of saidblocking means coinciding with the rotational axis of said shaft, saidblocking means pivotal between a blocking position and a non-blockingposition and normally in a non-blocking position biasing means connectedto said blocking means and triggered by the operation of the reset meansto pivot the blocking means to the said blocking position between thepawl and said ratchet wheel so that the ratchet wheel will completelyrotate back to its rest position regardless of the period of theoperation of the reset means, and means connected to said blocking meansfor pivoting it out of said blocking position when said rotating meansare actuated.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said means connected tosaid blocking means includes an actuating arm, said actuatingarm'positioned to be en gaged by a portion of said rotating means whenit is actuated, whereby said blocking means may be rotated out of saidblocking position thereby permitting said pawl to move into engagementwith said ratchet wheel.

11. An accumulator for a coin-operated vending machine comprising incombinationa support, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, aratchet wheel mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, rotatingmeans connected to said ratchet wheel, a restoring spring connectedbetween said support and said ratchet wheel for rotating it back to itsrest position after it has been rotated away therefrom, a leverpivotally mounted on said support, said lever having first and secondarms, a pawl connected to one arm, spring means connected to said otherarm to pivot said lever and bias said pawl into-engagement with saidratchet wheel to prevent the restoring spring from rotating it back toits rest position after it has been rotated away therefrom, reset meansmounted on said support, a push rod driven by said reset means andadapted to move into engagement with said lever when said reset means isoperated, said engagement exerting a rotational force on said leverwhich-overcomes the 7 pawl to move out of engagement with said ratchetwheel and permitting the restoring spring to start rotating the ratchetwheel back to its rest position, and a blocking lever pivotally mountedon said support, the pivotal axis of said blocking lever coinciding withthe rotational axis of said shaft, said blocking lever pivotal between ablocking position and a non-blocking position and normally in anon-blocking position biasing means connected to one arm of saidblocking lever to pivot the blocking lever in a predetermined direction,the outer edge of another arm of the blocking lever provided with arecess, said recess defining an upper blocking abutment member and alower actuating arm, the inner edge of said recess at a distance fromthe axis of said shaft which is less than i the radius of said ratchetwheel so that the pawl may enter said recess to engage the teeth on saidratchet wheel and to engage a portion of the arm of the blocking leverin the recess and thereby prevent the blocking lever from a 8 pivotingto its blocking position, said biasing means caus ing said blockingabutment member to pivot to a blocking position between the pawl and theratchet wheel when the reset means is operated to force said pawl out ofengagement with said ratchet wheel and out of said recess, saidactuating arm engaging a portion of said rotating means when saidblocking abutment member is in blocking position so that when saidrotating means is actuated it pivots said blocking abutment member outof its blocking position thereby permitting said pawl to move back intothe recess and into engagement with said ratchet wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

